Apartment-style building complex eases tight housing market for students

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After nearly two years of construction, Laurentian University is opening the doors of a new residence building in September.

Laurentian University residence manager Ben Demianiuk says six out of 10 students living in residence are upper-year students who choose to live on campus because of the lack of other student housing close to the university. (Hilary Duff/CBC)

The building, dubbed the "new residence" is 11 storeys high and will accommodate 236 third- and fourth-year students.

Most universities build residences for first-year students, but Laurentian student demographics are different, said Ben Demianiuk, manager of residences at the university.

"Sixty percent of our students in residence are actually upper-year students," he noted.

After nearly two years of construction, Laurentian University is cutting the ribbon on a new residence this September. The apartment-style building will be for third- and fourth-year students. (Hilary Duff/CBC)

"A lot of it has to do with Sudbury housing … being a bit farther away from campus than at other universities, so we're quite unique in that we're able to offer [space to]

students who, after first year, don't often get residence in other universities. We can offer them space here."

The apartment-style building, which features all single rooms, took two years to build.

Demianiuk said the new building will help shorten the residence waiting list.

"We had a number of students — I'd say about 100-150 students — who weren't able to get residence on campus," he said.

"The new building has been able to alleviate those issues. It was a no-brainer, really, to build another residence for these students. We are full right now for the September session, so it seems like it was a good idea."

Demianiuk said his office is continuing to look into new student living solutions as enrollment at Laurentian continues to rise.